Shower head



Dec. 6, 1955 R. E. BLETCHER ET AL 2,726,120

SHOWER HEAD Filed June l5, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheetl l 8 few/v6 ,0. afi/Q0INVENTORS Dec. 6, 1955 R. E, BLETCHER ET AL 2,726,120

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United States Patent `(i) SHOWER HEAD Ralph E. Bletcher and Irving A.Ward, Los Angeles, Calif., assignors of five per cent to Ralph E.Bletcher, twelve and one-half per cent to Ernest H. Bucknell, twelve andone-half per cent to Mabel Bucknell, ten per cent to Pearl WhiteBletcher, twenty-tive per cent to Marcia Bucknell Liston, ten per centto James H. Bletcher, ten per cent to Hazel B. Skinner, eight per centto Charlotte R. B. Robertson, two per cent to Frederick KennethRobertson, as trustee, and five per cent to James Hamilton Bletcher, astrustee Application June 15, 1951, Serial No. 231,734

23 Claims. (Cl. 299-145) There are many types of shower heads availablewhich are adapted to produce a discharge spray comprising a plurality ofsolid streams or needles of water. There are also many shower headswhich are capable of producing a discharge spray of a plurality ofdroplets of water much in the nature of rain.

The principal object of this invention is to produce a shower head whichis capable of producing a discharge spray having either of thesecharacteristics.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a shower head whichis readily adjustable to produce a discharge spray as a plurality ofdroplets or rain type discharge to the conventional or stream typedischarge.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a shower headwherein the pressure of the water owing through the shower head isutilized to retain the diverting means in whichever desired position itis placed.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a shower head whichis readily disassembled to permit cleaning and replacement of theelements of the shower head.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from thefollowing specication.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 represents a side elevation view of a shower head embodyingthis invention.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section taken along the line 2 2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a vertical section taken along the line 3 3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 4 4 of Figure 2illustrating the valve means in the stream or needle discharge position.

Figure 5 is a sectional view similar to Figure 4 illustrating the valvemeans in the droplet or rain producing position.

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken along the line 6 6 of Figure 2.

Figure 7 is a vertical section of a modified form of this invention.

Figure 8 is a vertical section taken along the line 8 8 of Figure 7.

Figure 9 is a sectional view taken along the line 9 9 of Figure 7illustrating the valve means in the stream or needle producing position.

Figure l0 is a sectional view similar to Figure 9 illusrating the valvemeans in the droplet or rain producing position.

Figure ll is a sectional View taken along the line 11 11 of Figure 7.

Figure l2 is a perspective View of the resilient ring.

Referring now to Figures l through 6 and 12, the shower head comprises ahousing having a threaded nipple 12 formed on the upper extremitythereof and ice ternal threads 20 of the housing 10. Projecting inwardlyfrom the outer shell is a transverse web 26 forming ay restricted throator centrally located discharge opening 28. Attached to this transverseweb is an inner shell 36 which, in this embodiment, is cylindrical inshape and projects upwardly a distance equal to the upper extremity ofthe outer shell 24. The upper extremity of the inner shell 30 forms avalve seat 36 for a purpose hereinafter to be described. The inner andouter shells are spaced from one another so as to form an annular waterpassage 32 therebetween. The outer shell 24 is provided with a pluralityof ports 34 therein communicating with the water passage 32 and theexterior of the outer shell 24. The inner shell 30 forms a communicationbetween the valve seat 36 and the centrally located discharge opening 28so that water may ow through the valve body, either through the valveseat and hence the centrally located discharge opening, or through thewater passage 32 and lout thek vide an enlarged area surrounding thelower extremity of the outer shell '24 so that a discharge annulus 40 isformed between the housing 10 and the lower extremity of the outer shell24. TheV outer shell of the valve body is provided at its lowestextremity with a ange 42 which is adapted to retain'a ring 44 (seeFigure l2) in the discharge annulus. T he ring 44 fits about the outerperiphery of the shell 24 and bears against the llange 42. The ring 44is preferably of a resilient material such as rubber, and is providedwith a plurality of grooves 46 about the periphery thereof which denespray channels with the inner wall lof the ,housing 10. Thus when waterpasses through the passage 32 and discharge ports 34, it

is directed into the discharge annulus 40, passing between the grooves46 of the ring 44 and the inner surface of the housing 10 and sprayingdownwardly in the form Aof needles or streams of water. These grooves 46in the ring 44 preferably vary in angularity from parallel to the axisof the housing to diverging slightly. The function of the varyingangularity is to insure a illed discharge spray rather than a hollowcircular discharge.

4-By varying the angularity of the grooves some of the fvided, at itsupper extremity, with a retaining member 52, the outer periphery ofwhich ssubstantially the same diameterv as the vinner diameter ,of theshell 30 and is providedy with suitablevports, or water passagestherethrough to permit water to pass around the retaining member. Thedellectng member 50, in this embodiment, is riveted to the supportingmember 52 land is provided at -a position immediately below thedischarge opening 28 with allange 54 so that water passing through thevalve seat- 36 and the inner shell 30 and at the discharge opening'38is' deflected transversely by the flange 54.

In this embodiment, a flared skirt 56 is formed about the centrallylocated discharge opening and depending from the valve body. The waterpassing through the centrally located discharge opening is thusdeflected by the llange 54 transversely onto the skirt 56. The water isthereby broken from streams or needles into a plurality of droplets muchin the nature of rain drops which are discharged from the skirt 56. Itis of course apparent that the shape of the skirt 56 will determine theshape of the discharge spray. As the water strikes this skirt thedroplets are deflected inwardly and downwardly at varying degrees ofangularity insuring a filled conical discharge spray.

As previously described, the upper extremity of the inner shell 30 formsa valve seat. The upper extremity of the outer shell 24 in thisemodiment also forms a valve seat. For purposes of clarity, the termvalve seat when used hereinafter will refer only to the upper extremityof the inner shell.

A valve 58 is formed, in this embodiment, as a circular plate and ispositioned normal to the axis of the housing and to the ilow of waterthrough the housing. This circular plate or valve S8 is provided with avalve port 60 therein and, in this embodiment, with a plurality ofindentations 62 in the periphery thereof diametrically opposed to theposition of the valve port 60. The valve 58 is of a suliiciently smalldiameter to permit radial movement within the housing and the port 60,and so positioned in the valve that when said valve is moved radially tothe position seen in Figure 4, the port will communicate with the waterpassage 32 and not with the inner portion of the inner shell 30 anddischarge opening 28. Thus the water is diverted through the spraydefining channels in the form of streams f water. The indentations 62are of such depth that they will also communicate with the water passage32 when the valve 58 is thus positioned, permitting delivery of wateruniformly about the water passage 32 and insuring a uniform dischargethrough the spray channels. When the valve is moved radially to theopposite extremity of its movement, as seen in Figure 5, the dischargeport 60 communicates with the inner portion of the shell 30 and thuswith the centrally located discharge opening. When the valve 58 is thuspositioned, ilow through water passage 32 is cut ot and all the waterpasses through shell 30 and out the discharge opening in the form ofdroplets of water, as hereinbefore described.

It is readily apparent that by positioning the diverter valve 58 normalto the axis of the housing 10, and hence to the flow of water, that thewater pressure will hold the valve 58 tirmly against the valve seat 36irrespective of in which position the diverter is placed.

The means for positioning the diverter valve in this embodiment is asfollows. A cylindrical extension 64 is provided on the upper surface ofthe diverter valve 58. This cylindrical extension is provided withopposed slots 65 and 67 which are adapted to receive and guide thecentral shaft portion 66 of the push rod 68. Adjacent each side of thecylindrical extension 64 is an enlarged portion 70 and 71 of the pushrod which function to bear against the cylindrical extensionV on eachside of the slots so that movement of the push `rod moves the valve 58radially in the housing. The housing 10 is provided with suitableapertures 72 and 74 throughwhich the outer enlarged portions 76 and 78of the push rod 68 project. O-rings 80 are retained in suitable annularrecesses in the extremities76 and 78 to provide a watertight seal. Thuswhen the push rod 68 is pushed to the extreme left position, as seen inFigure 4, it carries with it the diverter valve 58 until the peripheryofthe valve 58 strikes the inner surface of the, housing 10. At thisposition water is diverted through water passage 32 and out thedischarge annulus 40 in the form of needles or streams of water. At thistimethe centrally located. discharge opening `is shut off bythe'divertervalve bearingv '4 1 against the valve seat 36. When the pushrod is moved to its extreme right position, as seen in Figure S, untilthe periphery of` the diverter valve 48 strikes the inner surface of thehousing 10, the port 60 communicates with the inside of the inner shell30, permitting tlow through the centrally located discharge opening 28,the water striking the flange 54 and being deflected transversely ontothe flared skirt 56 from whence it is deflected downwardly in the formof a plurality of droplets.

Referring now to Figures 7 through 1l, wherein a modified form of thisshower head is illustrated, and wherein like parts are given the samenumerical designation with the addition of the exponent 11, it isreadily apparent that the principal embodiment and this embodiment aresubstantially the same. In the modification the outer shell 24a, bestseen in Figures 7 and 1l, is not provided with ports similar to 34 butis slotted from the transverse web 26 all the way to the upper extremitythereof. A plurality of these slots, designated 81 in Figure 1l, areprovided spaced about the shell 24a. Thus it is apparent from theprevious description of the principal embodiment that the diverter valve58a never shuts off flow through the discharge annulus 40a although itfunctions in the same manner as in the principal embodiment to open orclose the centrally located discharge opening 28. The diverter value 58ais preferably of a diameter substantially the length of the innerdiameter of the outer shell 24a so that water will flow about thediverter valve to passage 32a independent of the valves position. Whenthe valve is moved to the left to the position seen in Figure 9 so thatits periphery contacts the inner wall of housing 10, it shuts otf tlowto discharge opening 28a and the water is discharged through grooves`46a in the form of a lled cone of streams.

When the water is owing through the discharge opening 23a, that is whenport 60a communicates with the inside of the inner shell 30a, as seen inFigure 10, the water strikes the dellecting ilange 54a and is divertedtransversely toward the inner surface of the flared skirt formed in thelower portion of the housing 10a. The water thus deflected strikes thestreams or needles of water discharged between the grooves 46a of ring44a and breaks the streams or needles of water into a plurality ofdroplets which are hence discharged from the shower head. Thus thesecond ditierence between this modification and the principal embodimentlies in the elimination of the skirt 56 surrounding the detlectingmember 50. When this modified form of the invention vis utilized, it isof course apparent that by adjusting the position of the diverter valvethe quantity of water delivered to the discharge opening 28a and hencedeflected into the streams of water passing through the dischargeannulus can be controlled, and thus the degree of breaking up of theneedles or streams ot` water discharged through the annulus 40a can becontrolled.

The only other particular in which the modified form of my inventionvaries from the principal embodiment lies in the formation of the pushrod corresponding to push rod 6S of the principal embodiment. ln thisembodiment the cylindrical extension 64a is considerably larger than thecylindrical extension 64 in the principal embodiment and is illustratedas being formed about the periphery of the diverter valve 58a. The pushrod is formed of two separate sections 82 and 84 which project throughapertures in the housing 10 and are provided with annular recesses 36and 88 adapted to tit into thc slots 65a and 67a, formed in thecylindrical extension 64a. In all other respects the construction andoperation of the modified form of this device is the same as in theprincipal embodiment.

While what hereinbefore has been described as the principal embodimentof this invention, it is readily apparent that many changes can beresorted to without departing from the scope of this invention and suchmodifications and changes are intended to be claimed herein. v

We claim:

1. A shower head comprising a housing, a valve body mounted in saidhousing forming a discharge annulus therewith, said valve body having aAcentrally located discharge opening, a valve seat formed on said valvebody and communicating with said discharge opening, valve means normalto the axis of said housing and bearing against said valve seat, andmeans for radially adjusting said valve means to open or close flow tosaid discharge opening.

2. A shower head comprising a housing, a valve body mounted in saidhousing forming a discharge annulus therewith, said valve body having acentrally located discharge opening, a valve seat formed on said valvebody and communicating with said discharge opening, a valve normal tothe axis of said housing and bearing against said valve seat, means forradially adjusting said valve to open or close flow to said centrallylocated discharge opening, and a resilient ring fitting about theperiphery of said valve body in said discharge annulus, said ring havinggrooves in the periphery thereof deining spray channels with saidhousing.

3. A shower head comprising a housing, a valve body mounted in saidhousing forming a discharge annulus therewith, said valve body having acentrally located discharge opening, a valve seat formed on said valvebody and communicating with said discharge opening, a valve normal tothe axis of said housing and bearing against said valve seat, means forlradially adjusting said valve to open or close flow to said centrallylocated discharge opening, a resilient ring fitting about the peripheryof said valve body in said discharge annulus, said ring having groovesin the periphery thereof defining spray channels with said housing,skirt means surrounding said discharge opening and radial deecting meansdisposed in said discharge opening to divert water onto said skirt meansand discharge through said opening.

4. A shower head comprising, a housing, a valve body mounted in saidhousing and forming a discharge annulus about the periphery of saidvalve body at one extremity thereof, a valve seat formed on said valvebody at the opposite extremity thereof, means forming a centrallylocated discharge opening in said valve body and communicating with saidvalve seat, means forming a water passage surrounding said centrallylocated discharge opening and communicating with said discharge annulus,valve means normal to the axis of said housing retained against saidvalve seat, and means for moving said valve means radially in saidhousing to open or close ow to said centrally located discharge opening.

5. A shower head comprising a housing, a valve body mounted in saidhousing having a centrally located discharge opening at one extremityand a valve seat in communication with said discharge opening formed onthe other extremity of said valve body, valve means disposed in saidhousing normal to the axis thereof .to control How through saiddischarge opening, skirt means surrounding said discharge opening, anddeecting means disposed in said discharge opening to divert waterradially onto said skirt means when discharged through said opening.

6. A shower head comprising, a housing, a valve body mounted in saidhousing and forming a discharge annulus about the periphery of saidvalve body at one extremity thereof, a valve seat formed on said valvebody at the opposite extremity thereof, means forming a centrallylocated discharge opening in said valve body and communicating with saidvalve seat, means forming a water passage surrounding said centrallylocated discharge opening and communicating with said` dischargeannulus, valve means normal to the axis of said housing retainedagainstsaid valve seat, means for moving said valve means radially in saidhousing to open or close ow to said centrally located dischargeopening', skirt means surrounding said discharge opening, and deflectingmeans disposed in said discharge opening to divert water radially ontosaid skirt means when discharged through said opening.

7. A shower head comprising, a housing, a valve body mounted in saidhousing and forming a discharge annulus about the periphery of saidvalve body at one extremity thereof, a valve seat formed on said valvebody at the opposite extremity thereof, means forming a centrallylocated discharge opening in said valve body and communicating with saidvalve seat, means forming a water passage surrounding said centrallylocated discharge opening and communicating with said discharge annulus,valve means normal to the axis of said housing retained against saidvalve seat, means for moving said valve means radially in said housingto open or close flow to said centrally located discharge opening, skirtmeans surrounding said discharge opening, deflecting means disposed insaid discharge opening to divert water radially onto said skirt meanswhen discharged through said opening, and a resilient ring fitting aboutthe periphery of said valve body in said discharge annulus and havinggrooves on the periphery thereof defining spray channels with saidhousing.

8. A shower head comprising a housing, a valve body mounted in saidhousing and forming a discharge annulus about the periphery of saidvalve body at one extremity thereof, said valve body having a centrallylocated discharge opening in said annulus forming extremity and a valveseat formed at the opposite extremity of said valve body andcommunicating with said opening, diverter means disposed in said housingnormal to the axis thereof and bearing against said valve seat, meansfor radially moving said diverter means to permit iiow through saiddischarge annulus or through said discharge opening.

9. A shower head comprising a housing, a valve body mounted in saidhousing and forming a discharge annulus about the periphery of saidvalve body at one extremity thereof, said valve body having a centrallylocated discharge opening in said annulus forming extremity and a valveseat formed at the opposite ex-VV tremity of said valve body andcommunicating with said opening, diverter means disposed in said housingnormal to the axis thereof and bearing against said valve seat, meansfor radially moving said diverter means to permit ow through saiddischarge annulus or through said discharge opening, skirt meanssurrounding said discharge opening, and deiecting means disposed in saiddischarge opening to divert water radially onto said skirt means whendischarged through said opening.

10. A shower head comprising a housing, a valve body mounted in saidhousing and forming a discharge annulus about the periphery of saidvalve body at one extremity thereof, said valve body having a centrallylocated discharge opening in said annulus forming extremity and a valveseat formed at the opposite extremity of said valve body andcommunicating with said opening, diverter means disposed in saidhousingnormal to the axis thereof and bearing against said valve seat, meansfor radially moving said diverter means to permit flow through saiddischarge annulus or through said discharge opening, skirt meanssurrounding said discharge' opening, deliecting means disposed in saiddischarge opening to divert water radially onto said skirt means' whendischarged through said opening, and a resilient ring fitting about theperiphery'of said valve body in said discharge annulus and havinggrooves in the periphery thereof defining spray channels with saidhousing.

K ll. A shower head comprising a housing, a valve body mounted in saidhousing and forming a discharge 'annulus therewith, saidV valve bodyhaving a centrally 1ocated discharge opening, a valve seat formed onysaid valve body and communicating with said opening, diverter meansdisposed in said housing normal to the axis thereof and bearing againstsaid valve seat, and means for radially moving said diverter means topermit ow through said discharge annulus or through said dischargeopening.

l2. A shower head comprising a housing, a valve body mounted in saidhousing and forming a discharge annulus therewith, said valve bodyhaving a centrally located discharge opening, a valve seat formed onsaid valve body and communicating with said opening, diverter meansdisposed in said housing norma!A to the axis thereof and bearing againstsaid valve seat, means for radially moving said diverter means to permitilow through said discharge annulus or through said discharge opening,skirt means surrounding said discharge opening, and deiiecting meansdisposed in said discharge opening to divert water radially onto saidskirt means when discharged through said opening.

13. A shower head comprising a housing, a valve body mounted in saidhousing and forming a discharge annulus therewith, said valve bodyhaving a centrally iocated discharge opening, a valve seat formed onsaid valve body and communicating with said opening, diverter meansdisposed in said housing normal to the axis thereof and bearing againstsaid valve seat, means for radially moving said diverter means to permitiov/ through said discharge annulus or through said discharge opening,and a resilient ring tting about the periphery of said valve body insaid discharge annulus and having grooves in the periphery thereofdefining spray channels with said housing.

l4. A shower head comprising a housing, a valve body having an outershell adapted to be mounted in said housing forming a discharge annulustherewith and a transverse web forming a restricted throat therein, aninner shell affixed to said transverse web and forming a valve seat atthe extremity opposed from said restricted throat providing a waterpassage between said inner and outer shells, said outer shell having atleast one aperture cornmunicating said water passage with said dischargeannulus, diverter means normal to the axis of said housing adapted tobear against one extremity of said outer shell and said valve seat, saiddiverter having an aperture therein to permit flow therethrough, andmeans for radially moving said diverter so that the aperture in saiddiverter will permit tlow to said water passage or through said valveseat to said discharge opening.

15. A shower head comprising a housing, a valve body having an outershell adapted to be mounted in said housing forming a discharge annulustherewith and a transverse web forming a restricted throat therein, aninner shell affixed to said transverse web and forming a valve seat atthe extremity opposed from said restricted throat providing a waterpassage between said inner and outer shells, said outer shell having atleast one aperture communieating said water passage with said dischargeannulus, diverter means normal to the axis of saidrhousing adapted tobear against one extremity of said outer shell and said valve seat, saiddiverter having an aperture therein to permit flow therethrough, meansfor radially moving said diverter so that the aperture in said diverterwill permit flow to said water passage or through said valve seat tosaid discharge opening, skirt means surrounding said discharge opening,deflecting means disposed in said discharge opening to divert waterradially onto said skirt means when discharged through said opening, anda ring fitting about the periphery of said outer shell in said dischargeannulus having grooves in the periphery thereof defining spray channelswith said housing.

16. A shower head comprising, a housing, a valve body mounted in saidhousing and forming a discharge annulus about the periphery of saidvalve body at one extremity thereof, means forming a centrally locateddischarge opening in said valve body, diverter valve means normal to theaxis of said housing opening or closing iiow through said dischargeopening without obstructing flow through said discharge annulus andmeans for positioning said valve means to open or close flow throughsaid discharge opening.

17.l A shower head comprising, a housing, a valve body mounted in saidhousing and forming a discharge annulus about the .periphery of saidvalve body at one extremity thereof, means` forming a centrally locateddischarge opening in said valve body, detiecting means disposed insaiddischarge opening to divert water radially onto the inner surface ofsaid housing when discharged through said opening, diverter valve meansnormal to the axis of said housing controlling flow through saiddischarge opening without obstructing flow through said dischargeannulus.

18. A shower head comprising, a housing, a valve body mounted in saidhousing andforming a discharge annulus about the periphery of said valvebody at one extremity thereof, means forming a centrally locateddischarge opening in said valve body, deecting means disposed in saiddischarge opening to divert water radially onto the inner surface ofsaid housing when discharged through said opening, diverter valve meansnormal to the axis of said housing controlling flow through saiddischarge opening without obstructing flow through said dischargeannulus, and a resilient ring fitting about the periphery of said valvebody in said discharge annulus and having grooves on the peripherythereof defining spray channels with said housing.

19. A shower head comprising a housing having opposed apertures therein,a valve body mounted in said housing having a centrally locateddischarge opening at one extremity thereof and a valve seat incommunication with said discharge opening formed in the other extremityof said valve body, a diverter valve disposed in said housing normal tothe axis thereof to control ow through said opening, push rod meansprojecting through said apertures in said housing engaging said divertervalve whereby radial movement of said push rod opens and closes Howthrough said discharge opening.

20. A shower head comprising a housing having opposed apertures therein,a valve body mounted in said housing having a centrally locateddischarge opening at one extremity thereof and a valve seat incommunication with said discharge opening formed in the other extremityof said valve body, a diverter valve disposed in said housing normal tothe axis thereof to control tiow through said opening, push rod meansprojecting through said apertures, rod engaging means on said divertervalve adapted to latch said diverter valve to said push rod meanswhereby radial movement of said push rod means moves said divertervalveto open and close ilow through said discharge opening.

2l. A shower' head comprising a housing, a valve body mounted in saidhousing forming a discharge annulus therewith, said valve body having acentrally located discharge opening, a valve seat formed on said valvebody and communicating with said discharge opening, valve means normalto the axis of said housing and bearing against said valve seat, pushrod means projecting through said housing and engaging said valve meansfor radially adjusting said valve means to open or close flow to saiddischarge opening.

22. A shower head comprising a housing, a valve body mounted in saidhousing forming a discharge annulus therewith, said valve body having acentrally located discharge opening, a valve seat formed on said valvebody and communicating with said discharge opening. a valve normal tothe axis of said housing and bearing against said valve seat, push rodmeans projecting through said housing and engaging said valve forradially adjusting said valve to open or close ow to said centrallylocated discharge opening, and a resilient ring fitting about theperiphery of said valve body in said discharge annulus, said ring havinggrooves in the periphery thereof defining spray channels wthsaid1hous`ng.v

23. A shower head comprising a housing, a valve body mounted in saidhousing forming a discharge annuius therewith, said valve body having acentrally located discharge opening, a. valve seat formed on said valvebody and communicating with said discharge opening, a valve normal tothe axis of said housing and bearing against said valve seat, push rodmeans projecting through said housing and engaging said valve forradially adjusting said valve to open or close ow to said centrallylocated discharge opening, a resilient ring fitting about the peripheryof said valve body in said discharge annulus, said ring having groovesin the periphery thereof defining spray channels with said housing,skirt means surrounding said discharge opening and radial defiectingmeans disposed in said discharge opening to divert water onto said skirtmeans and discharge through said opening.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS MoenNov. 7, 1950

